A very good day!
by Alexander Dregon
Summary: Everyone knows him. His symbol, suit and cape are iconic. But aside from truth, justice and the American way, what matters to the man of steel? Reviews accepted gratefully.


A very good day.

This story is set before Lois and Clark became an item. Just a quick look at the man who has to wear that cape. And the cost of it.

Lois lane walked down the hall toward Perry White's office. In the last two years she had been embarassed on many an occasion by her "discovery", Superman. But not today.

She had spent months compiling data from sources she didn't even want to remember,all to get the last shred of evidence she would need to prove once and for all that Clark Kent was Superman. And now...she had it.

It wasn't personal she kept telling herself. It was just that people had a right to know. In the end, she had reasoned it could actually help him. There would be no more lies that people could use to say he had an ulterior motive. Or that the reason he refused to say who he really was was so he could go about some nefarious scheme. Or some such nonsense.

That was what she told herself. But the truth was much simpler. She loved what he stood for and what he was, her only point of contention was he beat her at her game. She was an investigative reporter, and she couldn't figure out the name of the man she loved?

It was unacceptable. And in her mind the final piece of the puzzle as to why,despite their one time closeness, all her attempts at furthering their relationship had drawn blanks. He seemed more and more distant.

And so, she decided to prove once and for all who he was. It would make her, if not an equal, at least capable enough to get his attention.

In his office Perry White sat behind his desk and studied the layout for tomorrow's paper.A critical eye that served him well in most cases failed to find a flaw in it. He sighed. It seemed the boys in editing were finally getting the idea. It almost made him feel redundant.

Everyone that knew Perry knew he was as hard a man as could be found when it came to what he expected. But only those that knew him personally knew that beneath the gruff exterior, he was one of the most caring men in the world. Especially about his beloved Metropolis. Years ago he had been her mayor for two terms, only to find that the veiw from the top had been vastly overrated. Deciding politics wasn't his forte, he then managed to work his way into the hierarchy of the Daily Planet. And now he guided what he considered, the people's last bastion of morality in a world decaying at the speed of light.

He had just laid the layout on the desk when the knock on the door snatched him back to the here and now.

"Come in." he growled, again returning to his tried and true persona.

Lois breezed into the room as if she were about to make his day. And in her mind she was.

"Chief, stop the presses! I am about to give you page one."

In a mix of sarcasm and expectation,(she was after all one of his top reporters), Perry answered, "Is that a fact Ma'm ? Well forgive a lowly editor, but might I be allowed to at least see the new front page of my newspaper... first?"

Lois smiled as she laid out the folder she was carrying. "It's all here. Months of digging in places even I'm ashamed to have been. But it's there."

Still unimpressed but interested, Perry asked, "And it is?"

"Final , incontrovertable proof that Clark Kent is Superman!"

Perry looked at Lois, studying her for a moment. Then slowly, as if not to frighten her, said, "My dear if this is a joke I can asure you it is in very poor taste."

Lois had expected skeptisism, but she was ready for it. "Oh no Chief. This time I have all the proof we need. Look here..."

But Perry stood up. It wasn't a question of her skills. It was the subject. Since he'd fooled her the last time,Lois had become obsessed with proving who Superman really was.And like most obsessions it seemed to be getting out of hand.

As he walked around the desk he began, "Young lady, if you think I am going to allow you to put this paper up to the ridicule of the public just so you can satisfy some need for..."

"It's not need! It's the greatest story of the century! The fact that Superman is a real person that lives and walks among us everyday. It'll take away the critics that say..."

"Say what?!" Perry hadn't meant to explode but the woman was exhasperating. "The only people listening to that drivel are those who already think that way! And they would feel the same way about anyone who did what he does, regardless of where he comes from."

"But Chief..."

"No buts young lady. As of this moment you are off this story, do you hear me?"

But Lois hadn't gotten where she was by giving up at the first bump in the road. "You may stop me from printing the story here, but I can get on at any paper in the country with this! I'll ..."

"And then what?" Perry turned and walked to the window, staring out at a setting sun.He took a deep breath and sighed.

"What will you do then Miss Lane? You've made a niche for yourself covering Superman,with interviews and such, but how long do you think that would last after you reveal his greatest secret to the world?"

"Oh Perry, don't be so melodramatic. He knows it's just business. Sometimes I think he just dreamed up this whole "secret" to keep a kind of mystique going around him. Like a publicity stunt."

Perry shook his head. "Even if I thought you were right, doesn't he have the rght to his privacy? To go home after he's done a hard day's work of things that no one else could, to be able to sit down with his feet up in peace?"

"But Chief..."

But Perry threw up his hands. "I know ,I know you think he's above all that. That he has no need for the simple pleasures of an ordinary life. But what if you're wrong? What if he needs his down time as much as everyone else? More even, given what he sees on a regular basis. And despite your...ideas on the matter, how do you know he doesn't have someone special to protect that you, me and the rest of the world know nothing about?"

Lois perked up at that. "I know he's not married."

"I didn't say married, I said special. And what about the people he sees everyday. Do you think they want the kind of noteriety that brings,being side by side with the Man of Steel everyday and being too stupid to notice?"

Perry began to pace the room, winding himself up. "Another thing,suppose you do expose his secret, do you think anyone in this city or any other would want to be his neighbor? Or for that matter do you think he would even live among us anymore, knowing that any one of his enemies could find him anytime, day or night and let loose with all sorts of nasty things that may or may not bother him but would be fatal to anyone near?"

"Chief,you're overreacting. If it came down to it, he could always live at his Fortress of Solitude." But even as she said the words, a realization hit her. Yes he could stay at his Fortress. But at what cost? That he'd do it wasn't a question if it meant saving even one life,but it would make him an outcast from the city he loved.

And he did love it, didn't he? He could have set up shop anywhere in the world and for the most part have been welcomed. Some cities had even tried to lure him away. But he stayed here.

She thought for a second that maybe she played a small role in that. And then remembered what Perry had said about how he'd react to being betrayed by someone "just doing their job." Then she realized she'd used a word she hadn't before. It stung her ears as it repeated itself in her mind over and over. Betrayed!

She was suddenly aware that Perry was still talking. He was still staring out the window at the now all but gone sun

"If you want the truth, I already know what you have in that file. Not word for word but I know what you think. And if it's any conselation I think you're right. Kent's too good not to be more than he appears. And if you want to expose his secret, fine. But do it somewhere else. Like you said you can get on anywhere with that story. Oh they'll put me out to pasture for letting the greastest story of the decade slip through my fingers but..."

"What story is that Chief?"

As he turned he saw Lois light the sheath of papers in her hand with the lighter from his desk. As he watched, she tossed them into an empty trash can saying,"Oops, clumsy me!"

Perry looked at the woman he'd always thought of as a daughter and felt proud. And relieved she'd come to her senses before any real damage was done.But now it was back to work, before the moment made him say something he'd have to deny.

"Yes,well, enough of this. Young lady I believe you still owe me a story.After all you are a reporter. At least it says so on your paycheck."

Giving a mock salute, Lois headed for the door. "Yessir!" As she reached he door she turned and said, "Perry? Thank you!" And rushed out before Perry could mount a comeback. Perry sat at his desk, wondering if the two of them would ever quit dancing and start dating. He might be old but his eyes still worked well enough to see the sparks between Lois and the man of her dreams. But that was between the two of them. For now he still had a paper to run

This however, was not the end of the story'

In a storage room down the hall, the object of all the consternation had arrived in time to see Lois walking down the hall with a familiar determined look on her face. Since this was a man who regularly listened to the songs of whales in the ocean from the comfort of his living room, hearing their conversation a few feet away through a few feet of stone and plaster proved no challange at all.

And what he had heard had touched him deeply. Especially the part where Lois had destroyed her story. Knowing her as he did, he knew what that had taken from her. Especially since it was a very well written piece.(He had taken the time to read it while they talked.)

But he,as always was afraid that if they let a clue to that knowledge slip out, they might become targets. No. It was best if he contacted Green Lantern and had him remove the knowledge of his secret from their minds. It was safer that way.

But as he left the closet, he decided to hold off for a time.

Walking up to Perry's office he asked if he was free for a quick dinner. That he had come into a little free money and wanted to share his good fortune with friends. Perry tried to beg off, but his persistance won out. As it did a few minutes later with Lois.

So that night, for the first time, Clark Kent/Superman/Kal-el the last son of Krypton sat at a table not as a guest of some potentate or politician, but as a man entertaining some friends over a good meal. And for once knowing that, should the need arise, he had no reason to lie to his friends. He would just excuse himself and leave.

And for a little while, he would have the illusion of the life he could have had. For once, this orphan from another world was in the company of friends that wanted nothing other than his company. And he theirs.Yes all in all, it had been a very good day.


End file.
